Motor Neuron Disease (MND)

Stem cell treatment for MND

Motor Neuron Diseases (MNDs), is a group of progressive neurological disorders that destroy motor neurons, the cells that control essential voluntary muscle activity such as speaking, walking, breathing, and swallowing. Normally, messages from nerve cells in the brain (called upper motor neurons) are transmitted to nerve cells in the brain stem and spinal cord (called lower motor neurons) and from them to particular muscles. Upper motor neurons direct the lower motor neurons to produce movements such as walking or chewing. Lower motor neurons control movement in the arms, legs, chest, face, throat, and tongue. Spinal motor neurons are also called anterior horn cells. Upper motor neurons are also called corticospinal neurons.

When there are disruptions in the signals between the lowest motor neurons and the muscle, the muscles do not work properly; the muscles gradually weaken and may begin wasting away and develop uncontrollable twitching (called fasciculations). When there are disruptions in the signals between the upper motor neurons and the lower motor neurons, the limb muscles develop stiffness (called spasticity), movements become slow and effortful, and tendon reflexes such as knee and ankle jerks become overactive. Over time, the ability to control voluntary movement can be lost.

At present, stem cells therapy offers the most promise for being able to repair this type of permanent damage.

Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have not yet differentiated into any specific type. They are unique because they can reproduce themselves infinitely. They can also generate more specialized cell types, such as muscle, nerve or bone cells. They are found in a number of the body’s tissues and organs and occur from the earliest stages of development (embryonic stem cells) to adulthood (adult stem cells).At TrueView Biotech we use adult stem cell therapy using umbilical cord derived stem cells.

The ability to create new body tissue means stem cells therapy can be used to generate cells to replace diseased and damaged body tissues. These tissues can treat patients whose tissue is diseased or damaged through injury.